HOPKINS, Minn. — If a nice, quiet bike ride in the park sounds great right about now, you're not alone.
Brett Hanson with Tonka Cycle and Ski says countless others had the same idea this week.
It's why their bike shop in Hopkins is busier than ever.
"I'd say we're probably 30% to 40% busier than we are in a normal April," Hanson says.
The hottest seller is brand new kid's bikes with parents looking for any way to get their kids outside these days.
The repair shop is also busy with people pulling bikes down from the rafters and the deepest corners of garages and storage sheds.
If it's something easy, like a flat tire, or a basic cleanup, Hanson says the turnaround time is about 24-hours.
But tougher jobs that require special parts could take several weeks.
"If it's a general inspection it can be anywhere from $45 up to over $200 depending on what the bike needs," Hanson says.
With the shop closed to customers, Hanson says they’re doing most of their business online or by phone.
Customers just park the bike out front, workers bring it in and fix it, and then they send it back out and the customer picks it up.
"We're just prioritizing the easier things to get more bikes back to the customers quicker," Hanson says.
So, if have a set of two wheels somewhere collecting dust, now might be a good time to give it a new life and take it out for a ride.
Bike shops busy as more Minnesotans rush to get outside
Tonka Cycle and Ski in Hopkins is seeing a 30% to 40% boost in business this month.